Difference between revisions of "Andrew Young (d. 1623)"

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160014th Febnury following, the Towii*CounciI,
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'''Andrew Young''' was appointed Public Professor of Mathematics at Edinburgh University in 1620.
rememberiiigMr'Rollock's recoininendation im-
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== Biography ==
mediatly before his death, of Mr Henry Char-
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‘Born of mean parents nigh to Jedburgh’, Young studied under [[Henry Charteris]] at Edinburgh University and graduated MA in July 1598. He went to work as Regent at Marischal College, Aberdeen, and in 1600 competed in a public trial for a vacant Regentship at Edinburgh. He was unsuccessful but the Town Council promised to hold the next vacancy open for him. He was accordingly appointed Regent at Edinburgh in December 1601 following the resignation of William Craig. He became one of the University’s longest-serving Regents, accompanying classes through to laureation in 1603, 1607, 1609, 1613, 1617, and 1621. According to [[Thomas Craufurd]], this was a 'flourishing time of the Universitie’, as Young and his fellow regents were 'both able and painful [i.e. conscientious]'.  They acquired ‘much authority’ through the combination of 'long experience' and 'knowledge'. As the country itself was enjoying 'a deep calme of peace', the 'followers of learning' were offered 'many great occasions of encouragement'. On 19 July 1617, Young was one of the regents and professos commanded by [[James VI and I|King James]] to participate in a disputation before him at Stirling Castle. " Young disputed upon the Aristotelian theory of Local Motion, prompting the King to pun that 'Mr. Young is very old in Aristotle'. In 1620, Young was appointed Public Professor of Mathematics, which required him to give two public lectures a week, in addition to his duties as Regent of Philosophy. This was a small but significant step towards specialization and the creation of a faculty system.  Young died in office in 1623.
teris, (who now had regented almost 10 yeara^
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== Sources ==
as most fit to succeed to him, elected him to
+
*[[Thomas Craufurd]], ''History of the University of Edinburgh, from 1580 to 1646: To Which is Prefixed the Charter Granted to the College by James VI of Scotland, in 1582'' (Edinburgh: Printed by A. Neill & Co., 1808)
be Principal of the CoUedge. His class va-  
+
*[[Sir Alexander Grant]], ''The Story of the University of Edinburgh during its First Three Hundred Years'', 2 vols (London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1884)
kaing, a publick dispute was indicted by pro*
 
gram. Two compeared for tiyal, Mr Robert
 
Scot, laureatofttto 1597. and Mr Andrew Youn^
 
bom of mean parents nigh to Jedbuigh, laureat
 
anno 1 598, and at that same time entered R^ent
 
of an Philosophie Classe in Aberdeen. Both
 
were well approven. The judges, for diverse re-
 
spects, chose Mr Robert Scot for the presently
 
vaking charge. Mr Andrew Young, besides
 
an honorary for his pains, was appointed to  
 
succeed to the next decedent. At the same
 
time, Mr Charles Ferme beiqg removed to IVa-
 
serburgfa, Mr James Knctx succeeded to him
 
according to the former appointment. ~
 
  
1601In December following^ Mr William Crage
+
[[Category:Academics|Young, Andrew]]
dimitted his charge and went to France, where
 
ps waa elected Professor of Divinity in the
 
CoUedge of, Saumure, in the which profession
 
he died not many years after with much re-
 
grate : returning home to Scotland, he died in
 
in his own house in Blackfriers Wynd. Mr
 
Andrew Youii|^ upon his dimission, was call-
 
ed from Aberdeen, and set over the chai^ of
 
Ifhe class left by him.
 
 
 
1608.
 
 
 
, Although (for the reason newly spoken of)
 
 
 
there "trete no candidats to be graduated, yet
 
 
 
this wias a most flouriihing time of the Unver-
 
 
 
sitie,
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
iM,Googlc
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
68 HISTOar OF TUB
 
 
 
sitie, the present Regents, Mx Andrew Youag,
 
Mr James Reid, Mr James Fairly, and Mr Wil-
 
liam King, being both able and painfull; and
 
withall they did ^ot change for a long time
 
' thereafter, which did conciliat much authority
 
to them throw their long experience, added to
 
their knowledge. The country- likeways at this*
 
time haying a deep calme of peace, swinAned
 
in plenty of all things, and many great occa-
 
sions of encouragement were set before the fol-
 
lowers of learning.
 
 
 
In 1620 they appointed Andrew Young to be "Public
 
Professor of Mathematics " in addition to his duties as Regent
 
of Philosophy (see Vol I. p. 203). It is possible that Napier had
 
made a suggestion on this subject ; at all events he took an
 
interest in it, for on the 17th August 162 1 the Town Council
 
paid for the carriage from London of a quadrant which Napier
 
(the year before his death) presented to the College "for the
 
Professor of Mathematics."
 
 
 
Young, having graduated in Edinburgh, had gone to serve
 
as Regent in Marischall College, which was always a good school
 
of Mathematics, and he may have picked up something there.
 
He must certainly have had a reputation for mathematical
 
 
 
^ From Professor Chrystal's (unpublished) Inaugural Address. Most of
 
the above facts and estimates relative to the Professors of Mathematics are
 
taken from that Address. Unless otherwise specified, the passages quoted are
 
all from Professor Chrystal.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
294 THE STORY OF THE UNIVERSITY. [1668.
 
 
 
knowledge. He came back to Edinburgh as Regent in 1601.
 
When appointed " Professor of Mathematics " he had to give two
 
public lectures a week, but what they consisted in we know not
 
He died in 1 6 2 3, after three years' performance of these new duties.
 
 
 
" Mr. Young who disputed next,' insisted upon the Nature
 
of Local Motion, pressing many things by clear testimonies of
 
Aristotle's text To which, when the defender made his answers
 
and cleared the purpose, the King said to some English Doctors
 
which were near to him, * These men know Aristotle's mind as
 
well as himself did while he lived.'
 
 
 
not barren, for certainly he hath shewen a fertile wit Mr.
 
Young is very old in Aristotle.
 

Revision as of 13:41, 27 May 2014

Andrew Young was appointed Public Professor of Mathematics at Edinburgh University in 1620.

Biography

‘Born of mean parents nigh to Jedburgh’, Young studied under Henry Charteris at Edinburgh University and graduated MA in July 1598. He went to work as Regent at Marischal College, Aberdeen, and in 1600 competed in a public trial for a vacant Regentship at Edinburgh. He was unsuccessful but the Town Council promised to hold the next vacancy open for him. He was accordingly appointed Regent at Edinburgh in December 1601 following the resignation of William Craig. He became one of the University’s longest-serving Regents, accompanying classes through to laureation in 1603, 1607, 1609, 1613, 1617, and 1621. According to Thomas Craufurd, this was a 'flourishing time of the Universitie’, as Young and his fellow regents were 'both able and painful [i.e. conscientious]'. They acquired ‘much authority’ through the combination of 'long experience' and 'knowledge'. As the country itself was enjoying 'a deep calme of peace', the 'followers of learning' were offered 'many great occasions of encouragement'. On 19 July 1617, Young was one of the regents and professos commanded by King James to participate in a disputation before him at Stirling Castle. " Young disputed upon the Aristotelian theory of Local Motion, prompting the King to pun that 'Mr. Young is very old in Aristotle'. In 1620, Young was appointed Public Professor of Mathematics, which required him to give two public lectures a week, in addition to his duties as Regent of Philosophy. This was a small but significant step towards specialization and the creation of a faculty system. Young died in office in 1623.

Sources

  • Thomas Craufurd, History of the University of Edinburgh, from 1580 to 1646: To Which is Prefixed the Charter Granted to the College by James VI of Scotland, in 1582 (Edinburgh: Printed by A. Neill & Co., 1808)
  • Sir Alexander Grant, The Story of the University of Edinburgh during its First Three Hundred Years, 2 vols (London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1884)